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HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - A major cleanup effort was continuing in Hollywood Friday following a dramatic water main break that sent water shooting into the air, opening a sinkhole that nearly swallowed a fire truck and caused a roof to collapse on a nearby residence.
Firefighters sent to the 6000 block of Fountain Avenue about 9:15 p.m. Thursday found water from the broken main shooting about 30 feet into the air, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Nicholas Prange said.
A woman was rescued by firefighters from a nearby two-story residence, where the roof collapsed due to water damage from the flooding, and as a precaution, several homes in the area were evacuated, Prange said. No injuries were reported, but the damage home was declared unsafe for occupation.
LAFD officials said the crew on Fire Engine 82 -- an all-electric truck -- responded to the scene, and a short time later, they felt the ground begin to rumble beneath their feet. As a sinkhole began to form from ruptured main, the rear wheels of the truck slipped into the hole, fire officials said.
"The Rosenbauer Fire Engine, being the only all-wheel drive fire engine in the fleet, gained enough traction with the power going to the front wheels to pull itself out of the hole and drive clear of the hazard ...," Prange said.
The fire truck sustained some damage to the rear portion of the vehicle, Prange said.
Crews were on scene Friday mopping up damage and working to repair the water main and sinkhole.
According to KTLA5, the water main that burst was installed in 1929.